A former pub singer in China's Hunan province is suspected of coaxing six men to hang themselves while playing sex games.

Police found that Zhou Youping, 38, had booked rooms under a pseudonym in two budget hotels where two of the six victims hanged themselves.

Zhou was a frequent visitor to an online chat room set up for homosexual relationships and he promised cash as well as other rewards. He demanded that the men should be his slaves in the hanging games, the media report said.

He, however, said he watched for enjoyment and had nothing to do with the men before leaving the room. He said he left them to die as he hated them for their desire for money and other rewards.